Cumbrian Libraries taking part in nationwide awards ceremony : Cumbria County Council

Cumbria Library Service is taking part in a national competition to find the winner of this year's Orange Prize for Fiction.

Readers are being urged to visit libraries in Carlisle, Grange-over-Sands, Penrith and Whitehaven to decide for themselves who should be this year's winner.

The Orange Prize for Fiction was set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote fiction written by women throughout the world and is awarded to the best novel of the year written in English by a woman. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on June 3rd.

The libraries taking part in Cumbria will have copies of all the books chosen for the shortlist, those on initial 'longlist' of 50 books and those by previous winners of the prize. Reading groups are also looking at the shortlisted books and people visiting the selected libraries will have the opportunity to do their own reviews. Along with the judges' winner, the public's favourite book will also be announced as well as the mens favourite!

The shortlisted authors are: Anne Doinovan for Buddha Da Sheena Mackay for Heligoland Valerie Martin for Property Carol Shields for Unless Zadie Smith for The Autograph Man Donna Tartt for The Little Friend

Librarian Liz Bowe says:

"The judges said that choosing the six novels to be shortlisted was a challenge and a pleasure and that taken together, the list demonstrates the power and flexibility of the novel as an art form, as well as its clear and constant relevance to the life of each one of us. We think they have come up with a fine selection for the shortlist and are keen to know whether our readers agree with the judges choice."

Councillor Rex Toft, Leader of Cumbria County Council, said:

"We are delighted to be one of the library services taking part in this year's Orange Prize for fiction. Local libraries are offering readers the chance to join in the discussion about the 50 best loved books written by women and the best contemporary womens writing. This event is an ideal opportunity to encourage people to use their local libraries and become involved in this exciting project. It also provides an ideal opportunity to help broaden people's reading habits and extend the library stock."

Those taking part can win a prize (a mobile phone and copies of the shortlisted books), by entering a star rating for one of the longlisted books. Book reviews will be posted on the Orange Prize website to complement those written by Orange's celebrity reviewers.